Slow Heartbeats
by oh help
Summary: With Katie at St. Mungo's, Leanne fights guilt and anxiety to discover what happened and why. Established relationship, short chapters.


Leanne studied her fingernails. She had done them especially, glittering gold polish. A first date manicure. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, to dazzle Katie with her fingers or something, but it had felt like the right thing to do. All of this was silly, really. She knew how Katie felt about her, knew that nail polish or a new dress wouldn't change that. But she'd wanted to make this special. Their relationship had always been confined to secluded alcoves and behind bed curtains. They'd never been to Hogsmeade like this, as a couple, before.

Perhaps Katie was as nervous as she was. Hopefully she wasn't ill.

Looking up around the Three Broomsticks, Leanne drew in a deep breath. This would be easy. When Katie came back they'd have a drink, talk like they normally did, maybe hold hands this time. They were the same as they'd always been, after all. Leanne shifted in her chair and sat up straight. It had been her nervousness that had kept them secret, and she wouldn't let her nervousness ruin them now. Reaching up impulsively, she uncapped her butterbeer and took a long swig. She'd wanted to wait until Katie returned but she needed that warmth that spread through her chest, needed it to calm her down. Merlin, did she hate being alone like this, even for so brief a time. Without Katie at her side everything started to overwhelm her.

She looked around again, and this time was grateful to see Katie's purple jumper bobbing through the crowd. "Hi again," she said when Katie arrived at the table.

"We need to leave," said Katie.

Leanne furrowed her brow. "But we've only just gotten here."

"I need to go back to the castle," said Katie.

There was something odd about the look on her face, slack and pale. Perhaps she really was ill. "Alright," said Leanne. As she refastened her cloak and pulled on her gloves she peered at Katie. In her anxiousness she couldn't say she was reluctant to return, but this whole thing had been Katie's idea. She had been so excited. "Is something wrong?" asked Leanne as they pushed open the doors and headed out against the chill air.

Katie shook her head, which confused Leanne even more. Clearly something _was_ wrong, and it was unlike Katie not to admit it. To her, at least. She and Katie, they told each other everything. Somewhat hurt, Leanne looked at her feet, which was when she noticed something in Katie's hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Never mind, Leanne," Katie said, tucking the paper-wrapped package into her coat.

"Have you had that this whole time?"

"I said _never mind_ , Leanne."

The force in her words took Leanne quite by surprise. _That_ was unlike Katie. She could be snippy, but never without reason, never at an innocent question. "I'm just asking," said Leanne. "I didn't see you carry it in, that's all." Her mind wandered. Perhaps she hadn't been supposed to see it. Perhaps Katie had gotten a gift for her, had wanted to do something special for their first date too. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's for someone," said Katie. Still she was looking forward, directly into the wind.

Leanne smiled. "For who?"

"That doesn't matter," said Katie.

She was being uncharacteristically evasive, oddly cold, and Leanne had her doubts that it was some sort of flirty game now. A chilling sensation, not from the wind, washed through her. Something was wrong.

"What've you got, Katie?" she asked again, more sternly.

Hesitating a little before answering, Katie said, "I'm supposed to deliver it."

"Deliver it to _who_?" pressed Leanne. "What _is_ it?" Desperately, she seized Katie's arm, holding her back, pulling the hand gripping the package from her coat.

Katie rounded on her. "It's nothing to do with you, Leanne!"

Leanne let go and stumbled a step backward in shock. As Katie glared at her she felt her eyes burn in frustration, her throat constrict in panic. "Give it to me!" she insisted. "You're not _right_ , Kate—give it here!"

"No!" shrieked Katie, jerking the package away. "I have to deliver it! I have to!"

In a wild, helpless move Leanne lunged for Katie, grabbing for the parcel in her hand. She was able to get a hand on it but Katie pulled back, tearing the paper—

She saw the split second before it happened, Katie's eyes going wide for just a moment. The package dropped to the ground. Leanne watched, frozen in horror as Katie began to rise up into the air. Her arms were held out yet her body limp, like a marionette being hung up from the sky.

People were rushing to her from behind. Six feet above the ground, Katie began to scream.


End file.
